Poison On Tap: What Fluoridated Tap Water Is Really Doing To A Kid’s Brain, Blood And Teeth

POSTED ON December 11, 2017 BY Jenna Barrington

Tap Water: The Good News And The Bad News

A recent study published in the American Journal of Preventative Medicine found two interesting facts about drinking tap water:

Kids who DON’T drink fluoridated tap water are more likely to have tooth decay, and

Kids who DO drink tap water have more lead in their blood system.

So… to drink or not to drink? That is a question on a lot of parents’ minds! There seems to be a benefit and a downside to both choices, so which one should parents make?

Let’s take a look at the downsides more closely:

Tooth Decay – Is Drinking Fluoride Worth The Risk?

Although tooth decay in children has decreased over the past seventy years, over 23% of preschoolers are still affected by cavities. And a whooping 49.8% of children who participated in the study had some sort of tooth decay. That’s 1 in 2 children suffering with possible toothaches and mouth problems. Treatment for cavities can be expensive and many parents are frustrated at needing to fix impermanent teeth in kids.

Besides their impact on a kid’s smile and the toothache they eventually cause, cavities often cause the following:

Poor nutrition because of the unwillingness to chew with painful teeth

Infected gums

Bacteria from cavities spreading to other parts of the body

No one wants cavities! But is fluoridated tap water the most effective way to prevent them?

While using fluoride directly on the teeth without swallowing may help to slow and/or prevent cavities, there is a pile of evidence showing that it may be harmful if swallowed.

Dangers Of Fluoride Consumption

Ingesting fluoride consistently over time has been shown to be harmful to the brain, digestive system, heart and bones. (2, 3, 4)

Fluoride consumption can lead to a condition called “Skeletal fluorosis” or weak bones due to the liver’s inability to process fluoride, which then enters the bloodstream and combines with calcium leeched from the skeletal system. (5, 6, 7)

Fluoride consumption may be linked to arthritis and joint problems (8,9,10)

Fluoride is toxic to the thyroid; it disrupts thyroid cells and can even kill them. For many years doctors actually used fluoride to reduce thyroid function in those suffering from an overactive thyroid and current levels in tap water matches the doses they used for this purpose. (11,12,13)

Fluoride consumption has a negative impact on fertility and hormone levels. In women, higher levels of fluoride are correlated with lower fertility rates. In men suffering from fluorosis there were lower testosterone and fertility levels when compared to subjects with minimal fluoride exposure. (14,15)

Fluoride is bad for the kidneys. Research has found higher rates of chronic kidney conditions in areas where the water contains higher levels of fluoride. It only takes a small amount of fluoride to cause renal damage in children. (16,17,18)

Drinking fluoride may have a harmful effect on children’s cognitive development. (19)

To learn more of the dangers and risks of fluoride in drinking water, view the documentary below: Fluoride: Poison on Tap.

On top of the dangers of fluoride consumption, we also need to examine the effects of lead in the bloodstream.

How To Prevent Cavities Without Fluoride

The good news is – there are much more effective ways to reduce cavities and tooth decay than relying on fluoride!

Limit sugar consumption. Soda, high sugar beverages, candies, processed foods, etc. offer little to no benefits at best and are health-damaging at worst. Limit your consumption and instead focus on real foods that come straight from mother nature. If you must consume sugar, brush your teeth immediately afterwards.

Brush with baking soda. Cavities are caused by bacteria and baking soda is a natural antibacterial and antiseptic solution that is great for oral health. It is less abrasive that toothpastes in general and can be mixed with coconut oil and peppermint to improve taste.

Floss! Every single day.

Brush or irrigate weekly with a 2% iodine solution like Lugol’s. Iodine is beneficial for the thyroid and destroys many harmful bacteria.

Increase magnesium and calcium intake. Teeth and bones are largely made up of calcium, magnesium and phosphorus. If you eat plenty of steamed or raw greens, then it is likely you are getting enough from your diet alone. However it is rare for most Americans to get enough greens, so doing Epsom salt baths and taking a high quality calcium/magnesium supplement like CALM is a great idea.

Increase Vitamin D. This is huge for oral health! Vitamin D can do more for your teeth than any amount of fluoride and it is fairly easy to increase your intake if you’re intentional about it. The number one way of course is to GO OUTSIDE IN THE SUN. Get your kids outside as often as possible. And only use sunscreen if absolutely necessary as this blocks formation of vitamin D.

Elevated Levels Of Lead – Why This Is A Huge Problem

The author of the tap water study, Anne E. Sanders, found that 3% of the children in her research had elevated blood lead levels. “Elevated blood lead levels affect only a small minority of children, but the health consequences are profound and permanent” she said.

How Much Lead Is In Tap Water?

EPA and the Centers For Disease Control and Prevention declared that there is NO KNOWN SAFETY LEVEL of lead in a child’s blood. Both agree lead is harmful to health and children are particularly sensitive to its toxicity. So how much is allowed in tap water?

“EPA has set the maximum contaminant level goal for lead in drinking water at zero because lead is a toxic metal that can be harmful to human health even at low exposure levels.”

If this is the case, why did the tap water study which was published in 2017 find elevated blood lead levels in children drinking tap water?

Although public safety measures are put in place to ensure our drinking water is safe, there are many factors which may potentially result in small amounts of lead in tap water, including corrosion in old pipes, the chemistry/acidity of water in a particular area, water temperature and the types of protective coatings used inside plumbing materials.

How To Avoid Fluoride And Lead In Tap Water

It seems pretty obvious at this point that both fluoride AND lead in our tap water is bad news. So what are some steps you can take to protect your family?

The number one way to protect yourself and your family from the bad stuff in tap water is by using a high-quality water filtration system. We recommend Dr Mercola’s Countertop Water Filers. Whatever you use, make sure it is top of the line and guaranteed to remove lead, fluoride and other contaminants.

Conclusion

So I guess the bad news is… plain tap water is not good enough for you! Lead and fluoride are both damaging to health and should be avoided, especially for children. The good news is, there are plenty of effective methods for preventing tooth decay in adults and children other than fluoridated water.

If you have any questions, comment below! We are always doing our best to stay on top of the latest research so we can deliver it to you simply and fully.

Journal Reference:

Anne E. Sanders, Gary D. Slade. Blood Lead Levels and Dental Caries in U.S. Children Who Do Not Drink Tap Water. American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 2017; DOI: 10.1016/j.amepre.2017.09.004

Jenna Barrington is studying Therapeutic Nutrition and Holistic Medicine and aspires to be a practitioner, teacher and writer. She is passionate about education and helping others take control of their health.

Jenna lives with her husband in Utah and loves writing, cooking, green smoothies, training her dog, Japanese, spending time at the ocean, bungee jumping, walking barefoot in the grass and being with her family.

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Glenn was in an accident with a hockey puck that made it so his mouth had to be wired shut! While he was going through recovery he found that Organifi Protein sustained him in a healthy way where he was able to maintain his muscle mass while still be able to loose weight.

-Tragedy Turns to Opportunity, Weightloss and Holistic Health

Glenn was in an accident with a hockey puck that made it so his mouth had to be wired shut! While he was going through recovery he found that Organifi Protein sustained him in a healthy way where he was able to maintain his muscle mass while still be able to loose weight.